Polyvinyl tubing has been increasingly used for fencing and outdoor decks. Various automated tooling machines, such as saws, routers, drills and milling machines, have been developed to produce PVC tubing for such fencing and deck applications. Conventional tooling machines typically use computerized numerical controls (CNC) or other automated process controls to consistently and accurately process each workpiece. While CNC process controls used by conventional tooling machines greatly improve the speed and quality of the tooling process, it is critical that each workpiece be consistently and securely supported and aligned within automated tooling machines. Conventional automated tooling machines require a clamping mechanism that secures the workpiece in a predetermined position and location as the piece is processed. This “centering” of the workpiece within the tooling machine is essential for consistent tooling processes using conventional automated tooling machinery.
Heretofore, conventional clamping mechanisms have employed complicated rails and cams that are difficult to align and maintain. These clamping mechanisms often include two parallel clamping members that move together in unison to engage a workpiece. The moving clamp rails not only secure the workpiece, but center and align it within the tooling machine. Conventional clamping mechanisms are subject to mechanical wear and play, which can effect the accurate and proper centering and alignment of the workpiece within the tooling machine. Mechanical wear produces play in the clamping rails, which requires that the tooling machine be constantly adjusted and calibrated to ensure proper workpiece alignment and consistent processing over long production runs. A simple but reliable clamping mechanism that will compensate for any mechanical wear or play in the mechanism would be a significant improvement over existing clamping mechanisms in manufacturing process equipment.